Deals

Press Release: NEW YORK (November 1, 2016) – UBM plc, the world’s leading business-to-business events organizer and marketing services organization, today announces that it has acquired The Battery Show North America from UK-based Smarter Shows. This acquisition further consolidates UBM’s position as the largest events organizer in the US and adds the fast-growing energy storage vertical to its market-leading Advanced Manufacturing Group (AMG).

The Battery Show comprises three co-located events that run annually each September in Novi, MI, a suburb of Detroit. These include, The Battery Show, Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo and the Critical Power Expo. In 2016, the combined events attracted approximately 530 exhibitors and 7,000 attendees.

The event is a strong strategic fit with UBM’s Advanced Manufacturing Group and is a forum for buyers and sellers of batteries and related equipment to meet and do business. The market is expected to grow rapidly driven by the energy storage needs of renewable energy grids, electric vehicles and manufacturing facilities.

UBM’s Advanced Manufacturing Group is the leading events producer for the global $3 trillion advanced manufacturing industry, with eight annual and three biennial events. Key brands in the group are: Medical Design and Manufacturing, the world’s largest medical design and manufacturing event; Qmed, the industry’s only directory of pre-qualified suppliers to the medical device industry; International Powder and Bulk Solids, North America’s largest and longest running dry material processing event, and DesignCon, an annual event hub for chip, board and systems design engineers.

“The Battery Show has tremendous synergies with UBM’s existing advanced manufacturing business and we see great opportunity for growth on both sides as the brands serve many of the same industry sectors – including medical, aerospace, consumer goods, electronics and automotive, to name just a few.” said Scott Schulman, CEO, UBM Americas.

Added Lori Silva, Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Group, UBM Americas: “The Battery Show is without a doubt the leading event in the booming global market for batteries and energy storage, and we couldn’t be more pleased to welcome such a complementary show to our advanced manufacturing line up.”

James Reader, CEO, Smarter Shows commented: “UBM Americas is the perfect home for The Battery Show North America. The event is synergistic with the existing properties in the Advanced Manufacturing Group; UBM shares our same deep focus on innovative manufacturing communities and there is clear scope to cross-promote between the shows.”

Around 60% of suppliers to the UK’s event industry are facing collapse within three months unless event businesses receive further support from the government. Of those businesses, 6% said they are unlikely to make it to the end of April.